La Habra bicyclist dies in bus collision

LA HABRA - A La Habra woman riding her bicycle in a crosswalk was struck and killed by a Foothill Transit bus Tuesday night.

Deputy Mitchell Sigal of the Orange County Sheriff Coroner identified the bicyclist as 49-year-old Annette Ferrin-Rodgers. He said an autopsy was conducted Wednesday.

The fatal collision at Beach and La Habra boulevards was reported at 8:28 p.m.

Cindy Knapp, spokeswoman for the La Habra Police Department, said Ferrin-Rodgers was in the crosswalk when she was hit by a bus making a left turn on La Habra boulevard. The bus didn't have any passengers.

The Foothill Transit bus was heading south on Beach Boulevard before it made a turn on to La Habra Boulevard. Knapp estimated the bus' speed at 15 to 20 mph.

The driver told officers he saw something in the crosswalk but it was too late to stop, according to Knapp.

Ferrin-Rodgers was pronounced dead at the scene.

Knapp said the bicycle didn't have any lights. She also pointed out that riders need to walk their bicycles while in a crosswalk.

"It's a vehicle. So if you're going to use a crosswalk, you have to walk a bicycle," she said.

The police investigation is still ongoing.

Dan Rodgers, who is Ferrin-Rodgers' ex-husband, said police notified him first because his number was on her cell phone. He said Ferrin-Rodgers has a daughter.

She had a real estate license but worked for the post office in Santa Ana, he said.

Ferrin-Rodgers worked with the U.S. Postal Service since February 1989, said spokesman Richard Maher.

She worked as a mail processing clerk at the Santa Ana processing center.

"As of right now, we haven't been notified of her death. We haven't been contacted by friends or family," Maher said.

The bus is part of Foothill Transit's 285 line which starts at Puente Hills Mall and ends at La Habra and Beach boulevards.

Felicia Friesema, Foothill Transit spokeswoman, said the driver works for First Transit which is a contractor that runs and operates Foothill Transit's Pomona operations yard.

"It was a very tragic event and we are conducting a thorough investigation," said Peter Greenberg, general manager for First Transit.

He said the driver is on administrative leave while they conduct an investigation.

The driver also took a drug and alcohol test.

According to U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines, Greenberg said drivers involved in a collision resulting in injury or death must be given a drug and alcohol test.

Saying they can't give out personnel information, Friesema and Greenberg didn't release the bus driver's name, age and whether he's been in other crashes that resulted in injury or death.